The Honeywell Fiesta Bowl Aerospace Challenge featuring Microsoft Mission Control remains one of Arizona’s premier academic contests for youth. In its 13th year, this contest allows fifth through eighth grade students the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of space technology. The Aerospace Challenge requires participants to develop plans for an International Lunar Base complete with a physical scale model. More than 800 students from over 70 schools participated in this contest in which they work in groups to achieve critical problem-solving, communication, team-building and decision-making skills.

Our school participated on the first of a three day competition. Pope John seventh grade students did an excellent job showing off their Lunar base missions which consisted of building a lunar base model that would house 50 astronauts for two years mining Helium 3 as a fusion source on Earth. The Umbras (Brittany Robinson, CC Cook, Taylor Ford and Chynna Nguyen) Won a Mission Control experience for the class and are one of the finalists of the day that will go on to to compete on December 29th at the Challenger Space Center in Glendale where they will have make a presentation in front of 3 shuttle astronauts. The final winners will go on to Houston to the Johnson Space Center to experience Astronaut training.

News article from AZCentral.com

Other winners from Pope John are:

Team Stella Luna- For Best Model
Annika V., Lauren L., Ashley M., Kathryn C., Capri C.

Team Dark Siderz - Most Creative Secondary Mission for Sports
Megan P., Kaela S., Macrina Z., Elliana P.

Team Space Spartan - For Spirit
James Q., Colby C., Max D.

Team Nova Luna - For Spirit
Peri B., Brooke E., Mallory W., Taylor K., Jocelyn R.